Duchess Kate had plenty of time to ‘overstay’ her visit to the set of ‘Downton’

wenn22300430

This story came out just before the Emmys, but I think it’s worth discussing a few days late because it speaks to one of the biggest criticisms of Duchess Kate: that she is rarely engaged in anything other than being a celebrity, meeting celebrities and dressing up for galas. It’s incredibly rare to hear stories about Kate spending hours upon hours at a charity. In fact, I can only think of one time in three years where Kate stayed longer at a charity than she was scheduled, and we have lots of evidence that Kate skips out of charitable work early, or completely half-asses it on those rare occasions when she is there. Note: we have no idea how much time she spends with her “private meetings” (that are somehow counted towards her annual totals). But as the Downton Abbey cast revealed at the pre-Emmy BAFTA party, Kate has all the time in the world to spend with celebrities and actors:

Kate Middleton may have been “very pregnant” when she visited the set of Downton Abbey in March, but that doesn’t mean she didn’t give the cast and crew her undivided attention.

“We weren’t sure what to expect really,” Laura Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith, told me yesterday at BAFTA-LA’s pre-Emmys Tea Party at the SLS Hotel. “We all got quite shy and she was sort of leading the conversation. It was lovely. She’s so normal. I know everyone says that but she really does try to make everyone feel at ease. We all lost our minds. We started talking to her about the catering—I’m sure things she found really boring but we all sort of lost it because we were panicked and star struck. It was one of those weird ones.”

Lesley Nicol, who plays Mrs. Patmore, said she chatted with Middleton about “chocolate.”

Middleton also “talked about the show,” said Jim Carter, who plays Mr. Carson. “She’s a big fan of the show. I don’t think she’d been on a film set before or a TV set so she was intrigued by how different it looked on the screen and in reality. She overstayed. She stayed long. She was having such a good time.”

[From E! News]

I don’t begrudge Kate having a good time on the set of her favorite show. I would love to take a tour of Highclere Castle and spend time chatting with Michelle Dockery, Mrs. Patmore and Hugh Bonneville. It would be incredibly cool. But I wouldn’t expect that visit to “count” as “work,” like I was doing them a favor for raising awareness of a completely forgotten illness or issue. I certainly wouldn’t take a tour of the castle in lieu of actual charitable work, for goodness sake.

wenn22888877

wenn22300431

Photos courtesy of WENN.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

143 Responses to “Duchess Kate had plenty of time to ‘overstay’ her visit to the set of ‘Downton’”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Alexandra says:

    Please never change that thumbnail picture!
    And indeed, I don’t blame her for having all the fun in the world on the set – I would enjoy it just as much. I just blame her for not owning the ‘fun’ part.

  2. Jules says:

    Wow, she has a new fake smile to go with those new veneers…………her nose looks new as well.

    • candice says:

      lol wonder what was wrong with the old veneers?

    • LisaH says:

      For real? Come on, she hasn’t had any work done on her nose or teeth. You’re grasping at straws.

      • notasugarhere says:

        LisaH, there has been speculation about veneers, nose, and eye bag surgery for years. This is not a new discussion.

      • FLORC says:

        She’s had a nose job. It’s hard not to see that between the dating years and the wedding. I don’t think she’s had a recent nose job. Womens faces change with pregnancy.

      • bluhare says:

        Look at her teeth. Her front and side teeth are whiter than the rest. And as for the rest, there’s websites out there with before/after photos of her nose. If she did, it was subtle and well done but it does look like she smoothed out the tip of her nose a bit.

  3. LadyMTL says:

    Yeah, if I ever had the privilege of going to a Game of Thrones set you’d have to drag me away by my hair, lol. Still, if Kate counts this as “work” then that’s a total joke.

  4. Susie says:

    In Kate’s defense, DA is not what it usted to be.

    • Goats on the Roof says:

      The quality of the show is irrelevant. There’s no excuse for a woman four years married into the BRF who will faff about for hours on a television set but can only barely be coaxed into doing actual charity work in exchange for glamorous vacations and unlimited trips to the hair salon.

  5. MCraw says:

    Working on most film sets is so boring. It certainly is for that snooze fest of a show. Most visitors, even to amazing movies/shows, get bored by the 2nd hour. My mom was done in 30 minutes, for goodness sake.

    How long is “overstaying”? If it’s longer than two hours, her obsession with fame and celebrity is REAL.

    Maaaaan, I hope the monarchy is done away with. She and Will are some do-nothing grifters.

  6. Katydid20 says:

    If she can spend all that time away from her kids chatting with the DA cast and watching tennis matches…….*sigh* I can’t even be bothered to finish this sentence with her.

    • Olenna says:

      Ha! ITA, and people wonder why some of us prefer to comment on the slightest change in her hair style, clothes, teeth, etc. rather than her work ethic. That never changes. 🙂

  7. Suze says:

    I don’t begrudge Kate her fun, either. When you sign on for the royal job, the fun bits are what you think about. But maybe the royals should have two royal tallies for their work: “Drudgery” (hospice visits, manufacturing visits, tree planting, etc.) and “Fun” (galas, visiting television sets).

  8. lucy2 says:

    I did get to tour Highclere, it’s beautiful!
    I agree she needs to step up her charity game, but I’m not seeing where she was claiming this visit was “work”.

    • apricotvodka says:

      It was counted as work as stated by the Court Circular.

    • LAK says:

      It was credited as work. The visit was sold by her office as Kate highlighting British creative industry.

    • inthekitchen says:

      I’m pretty sure it was logged as an official engagement (i.e. work), just like when she, Willnot, and Harry visited the Harry Potter studios and spent the day having pretend wand fights.

      • WinnieCoopersMom says:

        Can you really blame her for wanting to have a “pretend wand fight” with Harry? Come on. We all fantasize about that, though we’d hardly categorize it as work. 😉

    • notasugarhere says:

      Sophie had just visited a few weeks before, with a foreign dignitary’s wife. Not sure whether or not Sophie’s visit counted as work, but it should have since she was doing it to entertain a government guest.

      • anne_000 says:

        Thanks nota for the info.

        I wonder if Kate has ever hosted a one-on-one tour of anything with any government guest?

        It’s a good thing that the other royals are picking up the slack.

  9. Betti says:

    Well she has to counteract all the hospital and charity visits that she overstays or turns up late to.

    She’s a R-WAG. She and her family have always seen themselves as celebrities and Willy encourages it.

    The more i hear stories like this about these 2 the more I want #sexybeardcardigan to win the republican fight.

    PS Love the header pic – Duchess Pickachu.

  10. evermore says:

    I had her and Williams number when just after the wedding their first visit to US was to Hollywood and they were originally suppose to stay in a beautiful area of the California National Park , but they had it all changed so they could instead stay mostly in the center of Los Angeles and do more schmoozing with celebs and requested that Bafta have the LA Chapter throw a party together for them (which was not originally the Palace’s plan, but it was what William and Kate wanted) and invite celebs and by celebs (I mean their Main invite was to Brad and Angelina who both turned them down at the time, saying they were busy which they were.) Kate next choice was Reese Witherspoon and William’s PR office made a phone call to Reese to come and meet Kate, hangout, photo ops be her new best friend in Hollywood. Reese loved it and went and photo ops ensued.
    Then the Hollywood party, with celebs being rang up to come and meet the couple.
    Streisand said yes, because she knew Pr. Charles, liked Diana and wanted to honor William. Tom Hanks(LA Bafta) got many of the people to come, but still could not pull Angelina and Brad and several other A listers the couple wanted. Kate had a itching to me meet Angelina for years and had been putting in feelers for years, Angelina always backed off until recently.
    Finally Kate and William had their private meeting with Kate’s favorite and all was right with Kate’s world. She finally had tea with Angelina.

    Am I surprised Kate would spend hours at Downton Abbey, NO. Anything involving celebrities/Actors gets her complete attention. This is a woman who didn’t acknowledge the King of Spain at a event when he was standing right in front of her and William, but when a Actor was at Wimbledon near them recently Kate and William made a Bee line for him and Kate practically bowed to the actor she was so gushing, it was nauseating.

    Of course Kate and William ALWAYS have time for anything celebrity connected.

    p.s. Carole Middleton also visited the set of Downton, someone made arrangements for her to get an insiders look. Hmmm wonder who? lol

    • Betti says:

      ^^ Re: the Jolie/Pitt tea visit – this happened AFTER Angelina had been made an Dame for her humanitarian work. Ooh the irony.

      Not surprised that Ma Middleton went to the set afterwards – further proof she’s riding on her daughters coattails for the life she dream of.

      • evermore says:

        Yes, Angelina met the QUEEN first and became a Dame, before she made time for Kate and William.
        😉

      • lower-case deb says:

        the funniest thing for me is that she made her way down the succession/seniority ladder, in an orderly manner, almost like that nursery rhyme song.

        first the queen. then Camilla. then the duke and duchess of Cambridge.

      • WinnieCoopersMom says:

        It’s also ironic that Angie is most regarded because of her humanitarian work and that’s obvi the lowest priority on Kate’s list. I agree she just probably appreciates Angie’s star power more than anything else. Gag.

    • anne_000 says:

      Wow. Thanks for the info, evermore.

      It’s weird that she wanted to meet Angelina so much. Does she want some of the latter’s good will to rub off on her? Like she think that people would think that the company she keeps is indicative of her own character? Birds of a feather flock together? Or that she’s showing the public what she wants to be sometime in the future?

      • ArtHistorian says:

        Nah, she probably wanted to mee La Jolie because she’s one of the biggest stars at present.

      • evermore says:

        Basicially it was superficial things ,Kate admired Angelina’s beauty ( Angelina as Lara Croft and Kate was said to have been in awe of her beauty starting with the Lara Croft film, and later Kate saw herself being compared to the beautiful Angelina by some of the British press, during the dating years with William in trumped-up UK newspaper Polls ) and of course the stardom of Angelina and Brad as a couple. It was said to be a purely superficial reason why Angelina is Kate’s favorite actress, going back to the early dating years with William.

    • Montrealise says:

      The British monarchy will not survive Will and Kate. I read elsewhere that Kate’s last engagement with the children’s mental health charity was supposed to be a two-hour visit, but she arrived an hour late and only stayed for 45 minutes. I’m not sure whether it’s true or not, but if it is, it’s more proof (if any more were needed) that Kate has ZERO interest in fulfilling her royal duties.

      • anne_000 says:

        Sounds like a good way to avoid mixing with the plebs for two-hours is to come one-hour late and then beg off after 45 minutes.

        She could make it up by helping them do fundraising or by another visit or make a PSA video for them or writing a short essay to advertise their work.

      • ArtHistorian says:

        It sucks waiting around for a guest of honour who is late – and an hour is very late indeed!

        I once attended an exhibit which was opened by a Danish Princess – and she was 15 minutes late, which meant about 30 minutes waiting time because we had to be present 15 minutes before her scheduled arrival. However, she did have a good excuse – it was a 2 hour drive from Copenhagen and traffic was horrendous. Me and my car pool almost didn’t make it either.

        Next month, I’m going to the opening of an exhibition that will be attended by the Queen and the Prince Consort. However, it is a much larger exhibit so I won’t get an opportunity to speak to them like I did at the other event. I am, however, very exited about what Prince Henri is going to wear because he has embraced his idiosyncratic fashion sense with gusto in old age. Plus, Daisy is always well-dressed.

      • LAK says:

        BRF don’t have traffic excuse because they always have right of way. Like ambulances. Their outriders clear traffic ahead of their motorcades whilst they are travelling.

      • notasugarhere says:

        AH, I think Joachim has inherited his father’s fashion sense. He has a lot of Chinese-style smoking jackets! Daisy and Henrik are always so cute to me. They seem to enjoy each other so much, even after all these years.

        If you wear an interesting outfit or bright hand-woven shawl or scarf, you might catch their attention.

  11. whatsup says:

    Given how normal and middle class their lives are, she must have been so surprised to see an upstairs/downstairs divide….

  12. vauvert says:

    I was just thinking that Kate has reached the same level of famous for nothing except the man in her bed, only subject to talk about is her hair, clothes and makeup as the dreaded Kim. How sad is that?
    Neither of them does anything remotely useful, we get lots of pap strolls, meeting celebs and attending events, watching for signs of cosmetic work and dissecting outfits.

    Someone mentioned yesterday on a Kim post that we have gotten meaner… And I say maybe that is true, but I think collectively we feel that these two women, both born to wealth and lots of possibilities, who have never held down a job, never struggled for anything, whose staff does everything menial including largely raising their kids, could actually do a lot of good if they tried. If they gave a damn. And since most of us are actually both empathetic and involved in the world beyond our own needs and desires, we see the waste and resent it.
    Need a comfort coffee now and my blankie😢

    • Saywhatwhen says:

      Major disappointment and sad indeed. That you can discuss whether or not she was a yacht girl and draw legitimate comparisons with Kim Trashian is simply distressing. The reach that this woman could have and the good she could do for so many groups/initiatives. Major let down. Princess Ann needs to take her in hand and tell her what is what. But the Princess probably wouldn’t even pee on her let alone mentor her.

      • LisaH says:

        Sorry, but this #yachtgirl stuff is stupid. I’m not even going to list the reasons why. Anyone can deduce why it’s false.

      • notasugarhere says:

        I couldn’t tell if the person who originated that discussion spoke English as a first language or not. Maybe they didn’t understand the difference. She worked on a yacht, she wasn’t a Cannes yacht girl.

    • anne_000 says:

      I don’t think much of either woman, but I do put Kim at a higher level than Kate solely because Kim works and earns her money. Kim is driven, ambitious, and knows the value of money, so I think she appreciates what she buys and gets. She’s made her own way in life and can go on living independently without a man in her life.

      • WinnieCoopersMom says:

        I can agree with this bc if you had to tally up the “work” hours between the two of them, consider all the business meetings that Kim really does have, plus appearances, photoshoots, endorsements etc. Her work hours definitely outnumber Kate’s..if we are comparing.

      • candice says:

        anne_000 – i’m with you. definitely not a kim fan either, but she is several steps above kate as you so aptly put it — ambition, work ethic, etc. you have to give her that. kate is just a figurehead who contributes absolutely nothing and has no drive or interest in anything (but shopping & exercising)

    • perplexed says:

      I think Kim might sort of have a job (if you can count being on a reality show as a job). Kanye didn’t really make her the way William made Kate — Kim was already sort of her own persona and “star” before she married Kanye. She may follow Kanye’s lead now, but before she married him she had already made herself as a brand. So in that sense I think Kim is different than Kate. Not necessarily more respectable, but different.

  13. OSTONE says:

    I really thought she was going to blow us away after the wedding. That she would be SO eager to shed away the Waity Katy image and step up her game and become the second coming of “the people’s princess”. Oh how wrong I was. She is perfect for William, who is also the biggest disappointment, by being entitled, lazy and leeching off of taxpayers. Not sure, but I don’t see the monarchy still standing in Britain in the next 50 years.

    • Christin says:

      She said she didn’t care what anyone thought other than William, and she appears to have been very truthful with that comment.

    • GoodNamesAllTaken says:

      Me, too, OSTONE. I thought she wanted to do a reality great job. I forgot the part where she’s totally shallow.

    • bluhare says:

      Me as well. I wanted “one of us” to do us proud”. Didn’t turn out so well.

    • abby says:

      OSTONE, I think that is why I chuckle at people’s frustration with Kate – she is exactly the type of wife William wanted (granted, what he needed was a woman to put some fire under his a$$).
      Kate suits him perfectly – she won’t nag, she won’t pressure or challenge, and there’s no threat she’ll outshine him. As long as she can shop, play dress up, and have tea with celebs Kate is happy. Lazy, entitled William knew exactly what he was doing when he chose Kate for wife. And now the heir and spare have been born? Please, Kate’s job is done (as far as she’s concerned). Time for more fun.
      Kate is not a royal by birth so how else can she get away with it, if not for William (and Charles’s) tacit approval/acceptance? Hell, Charles bankrolls much of their lifestyle.
      IMO, Kate follows the lead of her husband.
      As we have seen, William is entitled and lazy (and he chose a partner like himself). His performance in college was an early indication but his military service didn’t allow for close public scrutiny. Since then however, William has dithered (like Charles) and drifted and found every excuse to avoid a real job and charitable work.
      William knows that Charles dithers to no end and the Queen is semi-retired. If, and when, William decides to suck it up and buckle down, Kate will likely have to follow his lead. I don’t see Kate being allowed to continue as such if William ever assumes an appropriate schedule and she didn’t (and I don’t mean if she takes time for maternity leave). TBH, I think there would be real consequences – curtailing of lifestyle, etc.
      The thing is, what or who is going to turn William – the future King – around?

      BTW, One thing I always find silly. William claims to want a normal life. Does he not know that people with “normal” lives have to work … constantly? And they are not likely to have domestic help on the scale of the BRF?
      So if I were William I would drop that normal life crap and get down to business ASAP before the tax-paying populace makes that misguided “normal life” rambling a reality.
      Kate didn’t wait all those damn years to be normal, she wants to be a princess – and then a queen.

      • anne_000 says:

        I agree with most of what you’ve said, but I don’t think Charles is a ditherer. I think he enjoys being out there among people and being seen as involved. His Prince’s Trust is going to turn 40 next year. A DM article says that he’s made his PoW position one of the most work done than by any other PoW. He’s also been taking up more of the Queen’s duties and a DM writer has said he’s essentially a Shadow King, doing the work of a King but without the title.

        It’s too bad that William won’t do the work of a PoW even without the title. By this same age in his life, Charles had done years of work on his Prince’s Trust, but William keeps saying he’ll get his own some day, but he just doesn’t know when.

      • lala says:

        the last sentence…you nailed it. Kate a commoner spent her entire life hunting a prince in order to become a princes. Will married a commoner so he can be a bit of little bit normal (he thinks or wants to think so). They just simply found each other. And they deserve each other.

      • lala says:

        @ abby the last sentence…you nailed it. Kate a commoner spent her entire life hunting a prince in order to become a princes. Will married a commoner so he can be a bit of little bit normal (he thinks or wants to think so). They just simply found each other. And they deserve each other.

      • Montrealise says:

        I think that William’s definition of a normal life is the one his rich friends have – people who inherited huge wealth and therefore, can live off that for their entire lives without ever needing to work or do anything except have fun. He has absolutely no idea how real middle class people live.

      • Jib says:

        I agree with you about much but Charles is NOT a ditherer. Say what you will of him as a husband in the past, but the man is doing 650 engagements this year. No ditherer he.

      • Emily C. says:

        “I think that William’s definition of a normal life is the one his rich friends have”

        I totally agree. He’s an entitled brat without a clue, which is common enough in princes, but I wonder how much longer people are going to put up with these leeches.

      • evermore says:

        Abbey, ..Charles is not a ditherer in work and he is one of the most hardworking Heirs to the Throne ever. It’s not his fault William has no real interest in his role.

  14. anna says:

    I don’t get it. So she says that Kate was leading the conversation and trying to make everyone feel at ease, but they talked about catering and other stuff that Kate must have found boring… which to me sounds like she didn’t lead the conversation. I feel like someone is trying to make us believe that Kate is actually a great conversationalist or something.

    • anne_000 says:

      I agree. I don’t get it either, but thank goodness there was a food truck and chocolate around to talk about. LOL.

      • candice says:

        thank goodness there was a food truck and chocolate around to talk about. LOL.
        —————————————————————————————————————————–
        LOL indeed – because there’s no danger of Kate actually eating high calorie food like chocolate!!!!

    • FuefinaWG says:

      I’m thinking the DA actors felt they had an obligation to not slam that insipid creature to the press after her visit to the set. The conversation I’d like to hear is what they said about her over drinks after she left. I’m sure it started out somewhat positive but then went completely downhill from there and ended with them all laughing uproariosly and slamming her after she left the building.

    • Green Girl says:

      Yeah, I’m confused as to why they discussed catering, of all topics. They could have discussed costumes (what’s it like to wear such old styles of clothing?), what it’s like to film scenes on separate sets, and so many other things.

    • Mary s says:

      If she’s as vapid as people claim, I can imagine maintaining the conversation was very painful, with awkward silences. Talking about catering was probably the best the actors could do. It’s like when you and your work friends are all having an easy, casual conversation, then “the boss” shows up. Nobody knows how to maintain the banter.

  15. LAK says:

    I’m actually embarrassed for those DA actors for. Being star struck by someone who has achieved nothing, made nothing. And people think royal titles can’t curdle the brain……..

    • notasugarhere says:

      LAK, do you think they’d tell the truth about her in an interview? For all we know, KM acted like a vapid fangirl but the cast and crew would never admit that publicly.

      • evermore says:

        + 1

      • LAK says:

        Of course. Which is why I love Tom Hiddleston’s shade when he revealed that she was confused by his real life beard after watching him in reel life beardless. I can’t remember the quote exactly, but he strongly implied that she was nice but dim.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Cue the quote.

        ‘I met the Duchess of Cambridge (Kate Middleton) afterwards and she said: “Oh, I know who you are now! Although it’s very strange – now you have got facial hair. Some of the people who had facial hair in the film don’t have facial hair now.” I guess she doesn’t hang around actors very much.’ – Tom Hiddleston

      • The Original Mia says:

        That’s true, Nota. We saw how she acted with the head of J.Crew. She latched on to that poor woman and wouldn’t let go.

      • anne_000 says:

        Omergod, that’s funny!

      • perplexed says:

        Say what…is that a real quote from Tom Hiddleston on Kate Middleton? WTF, if true.

      • notasugarhere says:

        Yes, it is a real quote. He said it after meeting them at the War Horse premiere.

  16. Sixer says:

    ALERT! ALERT! WILLIAM DOES WORK!

    Just turned on BBC News and there was the Ginger Princeling, who had rocked up to a building site in which an entire street of houses is being renovated to provide homes for services veterans, complete with wellbeing/mental health drop in centre and office. It’s being done by a popular TV show here, DIY SOS.

    Imagine my shock when it turned out to be not one royal wastrel but TWO. Normal Bill even had a go with a paint roller.

    I was almost jolly. But, such was the joy of Auntie’s Nicholas Witchell at having some actual Normal Bill work to report, that he went to previously unreached levels of unctuousness. Hard to believe, I know, but true. It was the Everest of purple prose, his report.

    So I need a sick bucket anyway.

    • notasugarhere says:

      William horning in last-minute on another of his popular brother’s pre-arranged charity visits? Have to get those numbers up before Mustique!

      • evermore says:

        The video footage of Harry is wonderful.

      • Liberty says:

        Nota, e x a c t l y.

      • The Original Mia says:

        I just got into it with a mod on another site about saying the Lamebridges horn in on Harry’s stuff. She tried to make the argument that It’s their charity, not just Harry’s. Grr. William can’t be arsed to do a darn thing until it’s either vacation time or Harry is showing him up in the UK.

      • anne_000 says:

        It’s beginning to look like William is so lazy and disinterested that he can’t even come up with his own plans for work visits. All he has to do is wait for Harry and his staff to make all the arrangements and then show up and get credit.

        I think Harry is such a push over when it comes to his brother. I know he wants to keep the peace, but I hope he breaks away from his brother and starts his own foundation and stops letting William tag along and taking credit for something he never had a hand in in the first place.

        It’s sad that their foundation lists William and Kate first and then Harry as if as an aside, when he does most of the work.

      • FLORC says:

        Nota
        Maybe all his charities and organizations he’s involved with can make no time for him? Maybe he wants to work so badly that he must find some event. Any Event to attend. Did you ever think of that? Hmm?

      • notasugarhere says:

        If he marries, he and his wife might get to split off their own Foundation. But who knows when/if he will marry? He let’s his brother do this because it is his job to support his older brother. Diana seems to have drilled that into him, support your older brother no matter what.

      • anne_000 says:

        LOL FLORC

        I can imagine William calling up his charities asking them if they want him to come visit and they respond with asking him if it’s Harry or William that’s calling. And then turning him down. #PoorWilliam #PoorJason Can’t get an even break.

    • Sixer says:

      PS: Twitter feed if you want actual confirmation Normal Bill SHOWED UP SOMEWHERE THAT ISN’T GLITZY. http://twitter.com/DIYSOS

    • Betti says:

      Well pick me up from the floor – is #poorjason lurking on this board.

      They even had hard hats with their names on them – just so we don’t mix them up and mistake Willy for being the hard working one. Willy is so ramping up his ‘ride on Harry’s coattails’ narrative.

      PS Harry with the hard hat and face fuzz is having an effect that requires a cold shower. *walks off*

    • LAK says:

      I was confused when visit was described as veterans, WWTW, help for returning soldiers, armed forces and Nicholas is talking about William. O_0

      All was right in the world when Harry wondered into view.

      Harry’s post summer schedule and focus was published months ago, but suddenly there is normal bill in his blue shirt/cashmere jumper and chinos to inspect the plebs. Clearly wasn’t dressed to get stuck in.

      • Sixer says:

        I KNOW.

        I also know I overuse capitals but um. Yes. I usually only use my ball gags for nefarious purposes but I have a special one set aside for Witchell. He really is an embarrassment.

      • anne_000 says:

        @ Lak

        Good point.

        William came dressed for a photo-op. Harry came dressed to get involved.

    • frisbee says:

      I missed it, (sorrynotsorry) but it’s bound to be on the News tonight so an entire country of over 60 million people can all pretend that Normal Bill is relevant all at the same time!
      I shall have my sick bucket at the ready. I shall also have my comfort blanket, my dog and a flask of builders tea for when I get overcome with a fit of the vapours at the mere sight of Normal Bill with a paint roller in his hand.
      Oh and yes, I am a miserable git who hates Downton bloody Abbey and never watched it. It’s a glossy soap opera set in an era where the reality saw a tiny 1% of the massively privileged population live off the backs of the other 99% who were usually struggling just to survive. Whichs sounds familiar but then it would, it’s exactly how Normal Bill and Katie Bucket live now – what a shocker. No wonder Katie Bucket’s a fan she must have been picking up some tips to take home with her.
      Rant over.

      • Sixer says:

        I love it when you rant. Gives me all the feels.

        On the Island, there will be no streaming of Downton Abbey. On the other hand, This Is England will be on twice nightly.

      • bluhare says:

        I’ve never watched Downton Abbey. Not a single episode.

        But if we’re streaming on the island the Sixlets better have the heavily reinforced tinfoil helmets. I hate it when the stream shudders and stops!

      • frisbee says:

        @ Sixer, as long as we have Peaky Blinders for when I get a bit homesick I’ll be happy, although if we might just as well take Cillian with us as well, you can’t have too many Irishmen about and he can keep Aidan company.
        @ bluhare, I’ve just laughed so loud at your comment I made the dog jump AND fart at the same time! Poor little bugger’s totally dazed and confused now.

      • Sixer says:

        Viewing to be voted upon by the sisterhood. Sixlets to spend pocket money on reinforcing. We’re almost ready!

      • bluhare says:

        I hope the Sixlets are doing neck strengthening exercises, Sixer. Those helmets could get heavy. Because I know that Frisbee and I are going to be quite annoyed if their heads start lolling and our puppy videos on youtube freeze right in the middle of a good frolic. 😉

    • bluhare says:

      Sixer you are the best with these! I think you should give us news alerts on every royal post!

  17. Citresse says:

    Kate looks so much better when pregnant.

    • sal says:

      She definitely looks more natural, that’s for sure — i.e. her face moves, bones aren’t sticking out all over the place, etc. Otherwise, she always seems so overdone and fake with her hair extensions, heavy make up and fake tan, obvious heavily padded bra, frozen botox face,…..Not to mention, hungry. Hey Kate, have a sandwich, it’s okay to eat.

      • Citresse says:

        Her attitude is also very different when she’s pregnant. She seems more relaxed, more natural. It’s like when she’s not pregnant she tries too hard (and smiles too hard) with her appearance and maintaining her appearance. It’s not natural.

      • Saywhatwhen says:

        @ Sal. LOLOLOL!!!!!!!! Dead at “hungry”. Am sitting here dieting and literally hungry myself. This is what I call that Spice Girl: Hungry Spice.

  18. Tiffany says:

    Does Kate know what embarassment is. I mean that is an emotion that she has to feel. Right?

    • Liberty says:

      If she felt any such emotion, she would be leading kids-in-need around art museums and teaching them (to use her degree like a docent), or speaking today about a subject she carefully researched in aid of a group she is now devoted to, or even digging in at the Duchy since hubby is so busy. Instead…..

      • hogtowngooner says:

        Yep! She spent her entire twenties at Will’s beck and call. She didn’t apply her degree, didn’t get a full-time job, didn’t date anyone, didn’t travel (her first trip to the US was in 2011!). With all the resources and privilege her family’s wealth had to offer, she did NOTHING with it. I don’t get it. What did she DO all day? It sounds so boring! And it’s so disappointing to see what a waste her position is now. She could be doing so much more with even just a modicum of effort, and… nothing. So much for being “the most prepared” princess ever, who was going to “hit the ground running.” We’re still waiting.

        She reminds me of that episode of Parks and Rec where Ben is working for that Congressman who shakes hands and smiles, but then sits in his office all day staring at the wall. Just nothing going on between the ears.

    • Saywhatwhen says:

      No she does not feel that emotion. We know that because she repeatedly shows us us her a$$ and vag. No shame in her game.

  19. wolfie says:

    “She overstayed. She stayed long. She was having such a good time”. One might count on Carson (Jim Carter) to tell the truth. Kate is oblivious to the people around her.

    Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael), said that “they got quite shy, that they all sort of panicked and were starstruck. They thought they might be boring her and they sort of lost it”. I find this dreadfully appalling. She’s done nothing. She is a college graduate, end of story. Other than that, she is shag. Why the hell would people be star struck in England? Are they bowled over by the wealth – just what sort of status is this??? Why would grown people feel like children in “Catherine’s” presence? Personally, I find it totally absurd.

    • MinnFnn says:

      I also thought Laura’s remarks were strange. I’m hoping it was courtesy sycophant-ism. Actors constantly say they were starstruck or they love so-and-so because s/he is so amazing. It’s 90% of actor commentary on DVDs.

    • perplexed says:

      Is “overstayed” a good word in British English? I can’t tell if he’s complimenting her or not.

      • Feeshalori says:

        It sounds like she overstayed her welcome, a bit of a jab to me. Otherwise, I’d think Jim Carter would have said she stayed longer than planned or expected. And I can’t imagine an actor “losing” anything or panicking in Kate’s presence. And starstruck over her? Oh, puh-leeze, give me a break!

      • MinnFnn says:

        Veiled insult did not cross my mind. Feeshalori, thanks for the British-to-American translation.

      • Feeshalori says:

        My pleasure, MinnFinn. Overstaying is used in a derogatory sense. And I get a kick out of the British-isms here as well. I LOVE “taking the piss!”

    • Jib says:

      I was embarrassed for Laura for those comments. I can’t think of one single person in the world I would be star-struck by. Why would I? We are all the same, put our pants on one leg at a time. I greatly admire some people for the work they do, but star-struck so I couldn’t talk??? Never.

  20. Amy M. says:

    She didn’t visit Highclere Castle. She visited the set of the servants’ quarters and the kitchen which is filmed in a studio in London. Highclere Castle is way outside of London (2 hours, I google mapped it).

  21. Srf says:

    I haven’t seen anyone bring it up, but this post makes me want to add my two cents: does anyone notice in the cast picture that DK is using her signature portrait pose? I only say it because if you don’t think or look too hard, she could be a poster cutout. Like, if someone thought about it, instead of forcing her to go to functions, boring or otherwise, just sort of make a paper doll poster cutout with interchangeable coat dresses.

    I also bring it up because why is this pose used for every picture? If you’re posed the same way, we know it isn’t natural i.e. you look the same at your wedding as you do at christening portraits as you do meeting the Downton Abbey cast = things that make me go hmm..

    (I’ve been a WDK lurker on this site for a few months now, every morning I look the the comments for my daily dose of snark, please keep it up ladies)

    • Hazel says:

      I know what you’re saying — but then, Kate is a paper doll & she thinks the same about everyone she meets on these visits, which is to say, she doesn’t think at all. Hence the standardized pose.

  22. Claire says:

    Lady Edith (I don’t know the name of the actress) is so so so beautiful when she’s out of character.

  23. Deedee says:

    Apparently she’s carved time out of her busy schedule to take in the Wales vs. England match. Prepare for more grinning, hair flipping fun!

  24. Lea says:

    this woman is so… i really thought she would proof all the “Waity”-sayers wrong the moment she gets the ring…yes in this case i was waiting for her to use her new status for good. But she does nothing and i dislike her for it 🙁
    it´s now what 4? years and absolutely nothing.
    I prefer the other european monarchies and especially the “commoner brides” really do something (some more than others, but compared to Kate they are all workaholics). They have own charities, own projects, own ideas, they are out and about. They are so much better than William and Kate, but get ignored. Sadly the “smaller monarchies” aren´t that famous or gossip-interesting as the stuffy Windsors. The british royals are known worldwide. So Kate has worldwide fame and she doesn´t use it to give back! I doubt this will ever change.

    On a lighter note the swedish court just published new portrait photos;
    http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Og8vUPs8CCU/VgFYG37CT6I/AAAAAAAAyXY/8ofZXBDAyh0/s600/New-official-portrait-of-Princess-Victoria-Daniel-%2BEstelle.jpg

    • imqrious2 says:

      Little Estelle is just TOO adorable!! I LOVE that they’d publish a pic showing their child being a child, not some posed, unnaturally still shot. And all their smiles look *genuine*, too! Bravo Victoria and Daniel!

    • ickythump says:

      Gorgeous pic – kate could learn a lot from th european royals who make a fantastic contribution to the lives of the people in their countries. Shame on u will and kate.

    • Sharon Lea says:

      Thanks for posting that picture, it really is the perfect non-posed picture of Estelle!

    • Feeshalori says:

      What a beautiful family. I just love this charismatic child and good for Victoria and Daniel that they released this type of formal portrait juxtaposed against the informal. Shows a great sense of humor and warmth. Estelle looks like she’s ready to audition for the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall in NY.

    • India Andrews says:

      Cutie.

    • FLORC says:

      That family is doing it all perfectly. And Estelle has personality!

  25. anne_000 says:

    Why did Kate do this visit while she was “very pregnant” and why did she stay for so long to the point where it’s described as her having “overstayed?”

    Wasn’t she doubling over with HG? Where was George? How could she have stayed away from him for so long when he needs her at home all the time?

    If she can go out and have hours of fun at the studio while being pregnant and sick with HG, then couldn’t she have done the same with charity visits?

    • bluhare says:

      Don’t be silly, anne. Visiting the poors and disenfranchiseds, not to mention the mentally ills, is depressing!

    • FLORC says:

      Anne
      Sarcasm aside Kate’s HG comes in a few weeks after conception and leaves early in her 2nd trimester. Like what some consider traditional MS. She was fine at this point.

      And charity visits aren’t fun because there are no celebs. Once the cameras get their shots why bother?

      • Kate says:

        This is why I don’t believe for a second she had HG. It’s so debilitating, even if you’re lucky and it tapers off towards the end, you still need to recover and this can take many months.

        In my third pregnancy I was no longer nauseous and vomiting by the start of the third trimester. But I was still incredibly tired and my body was so weak as by that point I’d spent almost three months on bed rest, barely able to move or eat. Two weeks after the vomiting was gone I managed to walk around the block once without stopping and that felt like a big achievement. I didn’t feel healthy again until I was about 3 months postpartum.

        It’s not like one day you finally stop throwing up and suddenly you’re fine.

      • FLORC says:

        Kate
        That’s the type of stuff most people assume goes with severe MS.
        Toss in Kate didn’t lose weight or muscle mass and it’s tough to believe.

  26. FuefinaWG says:

    I was just looking at the DA cast and got excited when I saw Lord Killwillie!

  27. rudy says:

    What does it matter if all you have is a college degree and a middle class family. You can ride to the moon if you work hard enough.

    Kates’ circumstances have NOTHING to do with her inability to take up the Princesship.
    She thinks her life is a Dontown Abbey, and we are her props. Her life is on disconnect. It’s very obvious. Who knows why, but this girl is limited. Her hubs is also very limited. C’est tout.

    As long as we are expecting Audrey Hepburn or Diana or Angelina, we will be disappointed. People don’t really change unless they have a MAJOR compunction to do so and it is extremely unlikely that will ever happen to Kate and Wills.

    • ArtHistorian says:

      Kate and William will never change – and that is why they have become so tedious to talk about.
      Hence my recent disappearance from these discussions.

      • Feeshalori says:

        Hopefully you’ll stick around for the revolution, AH! 😉

      • FLORC says:

        AH
        I hope you atleast stalk! Recently Wiglet Wagon has evolved into a Wiglet Wayfarer and we all get tinfoil Tiaras! I’ve called on the Fife. Claim yours!
        We will wear them when we reach the island and Liberty entertains us with the Tail (pun intended) of the 2 bunny brothers Scrounger and Scamp!
        We’ve also gone green with the Sixlets powering the Wayfarer with frisbee acting as some pagan goddess with a whip and armor.

        So return more often!